Samsung's Galaxy A23 5G and Galaxy A53 5G are both decent mid-range smartphones with similar features, but they do have a few critical differences. The Galaxy A23 5G was announced in August 2022 before being launched in the U.S. in early September, while the A53 5G was released earlier the same year. Both devices are part of Samsung's rapidly-expanding mid-range and entry-level portfolio that also includes devices like the Galaxy A14 5G and the Galaxy A03s, which sit at the lower-end of the spectrum. As for the Galaxy A23 5G and the A53 5G, both come with their own pros and cons at their respective price points, but which one is the better buy?
In terms of design, the Galaxy A53 5G comes with a punch-hole cutout at the top of the screen to house the front-facing camera. On the other hand, the Galaxy A23 5G comes with a waterdrop notch that serves the same purpose. At the back, both the phones come with a vertically-stacked quad-camera setup with an LED flash within the camera housing and a prominent Samsung logo at the bottom. The A53 5G is also water-resistant and has an IP67 rating, a feature that's missing from the A23 5G. Both devices come with a plastic build, but at 197 grams, the A23 5G is slightly heavier than the A53 5G which weighs in at 189 grams.
A23 5G Vs. A53 5G: Display, Performance, & Cameras
In terms of hardware, the Galaxy A23 5G is powered by the Snapdragon 695 SoC, while the A53 5G comes with the Exynos 1280. The former comes with a 6.6-inch FHD+ (2,408 x 1,080) 120Hz PLS LCD panel, while the latter has a 6.5-inch 120Hz FHD+ (2,400 x 1,080) Super AMOLED screen. Both have Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. While the A23 5G comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, the A53 5G offers up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of built-in storage. In both cases, the storage is expandable with a microSD card. However, the A53 5G has a hybrid slot, while the A23 5G has a dedicated one.
In terms of cameras, the A53 5G's quad-camera setup is led by a 64MP sensor with an f/1.8 aperture. It can record 4K videos at up to 30fps. The other cameras include a 12MP f/2.2 ultra-wide snapper and a 5MP f/2.4 macro shooter. There's also a 5MP depth camera for bokeh shots. On the A23 5G, the quad camera setup includes a 50MP f/1.8 primary shooter that can record 1080p videos at 30fps, a 5MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP f/2.4 macro lens. The depth camera here is a 2MP sensor. In the front, the A53 5G has a 32MP selfie-camera, while the A23 5G makes do with an 8MP unit.
A23 5G Vs. A53 5G: Battery, Software, & Price
Connectivity options on both devices include USB-C, dual-band Wi-Fi ac, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 5.1, and NFC. One area where the A23 5G has the upper hand is the inclusion of a 3.5mm headphone jack, a feature that's missing on the A53 5G. Both also offer fingerprint scanners, but while the A53 5G comes with an optical under-display sensor, the one on the Galaxy A23 5G is baked into the side-mounted power button. Both phones come with a 5,000mAh battery with support for 25W fast-charging, but neither include a charger in the box.
In terms of software, both the phones were launched with Android 12 with One UI 4.1 on top, but have since been updated to Android 13 with One UI 5.1. In terms of software updates, the Galaxy A53 5G is eligible for four years of Android updates and five years of security updates, putting it on par with the Galaxy S23 series flagships. The Galaxy A23 5G, on the other hand, will get only two years of Android updates and four years of security updates. This means that even though the Galaxy A53 5G is the older device, it will stay updated for much longer.
Pricing starts at $299.99 for the Galaxy A23 5G, while the Galaxy A53 5G costs $449.99. The latter is definitely the more feature-rich phone with better imaging chops, water-resistance, and longer software support, which makes it great value at its asking price. However, for casual users, the cheaper Samsung phone also offers great bang for the buck, and is a great pick for people on a tight budget.